Last Day: Legoland

Sorry it's been a while. We had some connection issues yesterday, and needed to get the show on the road, so to speak.

Legoland was AWESOME!! The Skipper and the Professor took a few folks back to the beach house around 3ish, but the New Jersey gang, Cousin BT's girlfriend, and the rest of our crew closed the place down. It was a great way to end the reunion!

So after the birthday breakfast for all the June birthdays

(wherein the birthday boys got to blow out candles on their birthday cookies), we headed out for Monterey. Of course, LA traffic stunk, by non little measure because of the 2-motorcycle accident in our direction, but we did stop for donuts, then had Jack in the Box for lunch before hopping onto the PCH at San Luis Obispo. I am really glad we did the Coast Drive, but I'm glad we weren't on it any longer than we were--the Professor was decidedly a bit green around the gills by the time we arrived in Monterey...

But I did make everyone stop to see the elephant seals (see the photo). I found that very cool; everyone else also found it cool, but because of the windy weather, if not the seals.

We had a wonderful Happy Time with our next set of DC friends, Mr. and Mrs. Happytime, complete with margaritas.

Today we're going to see some more of the wildlife here in California (besides the people). The kids have been able to catch up a bit on their rest here a bit as well.

We Are Family!

I know I said this was only pictures, but I do have a few things to say: Gilligan was buried in the sand not once, but twice (still has sand in unmentionable places, even after a shower). AND the last day to vote on the Wessel Epic Roadtrip Opinion Poll (at the bottom of the page) is TOMORROW! So if you haven't voted yet, cast your vote now (keeping in mind that people puke at home, as well as on the road...)

If I Could Save Time in a Bottle...

I am going to post twice (at least) today: once right now with pics of yesterday's Time Capsule Opening, and then again with just pics of the Family Beach Campfire. There are so many pictures; it was lots of fun. That post will be only pictures. I wish I could figure out a way to caption the pictures...if anyone knows how to do that, please send me a note!!!

Every time we have a family reunion, we put together a "time capsule" of things that represent memories of our time at the reunion. Folks also voluntarily (or non-voluntarily) write a bit about their memories as well. Then at the next reunion, we open it and go through it. We've previously buried it at Gma and Gpa's lakehouse, but the capsule this year became a clear plastic storage tube, since they knew they'd be moving. No matter, it worked

well.

The memory I'd like folks to pray over was of the little girl, Anna, who did not end up becoming part of our family. At that reunion, the Professor and I had received word from our adoption agency that there was a little girl from China who had been adopted, but for some reason, her adoptive parents could not keep her. The parents were trying to decide between us and another family for her new placement. It was a heartbreak to find out that she would not be coming to us as her forever family, but I sure do pray for little Anna, and that things are good for her now. Our adoption journey came to an end 2 years ago in October. We also pray for all the children without homes and families to love them, especially as we are in the midst of such an awesome extended family here this week.

But enough melancholy...in addition to the time capsule and general laying around (I also wanted to post close-ups of some of the VERY decorative cookies for your viewing pleasure), Brother J and his crew finally arrived, and we had an awesome beach campfire.

Showers and More Showers!!

I've always said we bring extreme weather with us when we go places...well, today, it's RAINING in San Diego!!

According to the people who live here, it "never" rains in San Diego. The present weather is apparently due to the hurricane in the Pacific, Ceilia, who is really churning up the water and bringing this unusual weather. The John Deere tractor weather vane is really moving this morning. Hopefully the weather will clear later today, when we're supposed to go to the cottage at Camp Pendleton for a campfire.

The last of the family arrives today as well. Brother J, who was supposed to have arrived yesterday with his crew, blew a tire in New Mexico, so their journey was delayed for a day. We'll also have the always-anticipated family photo today, and open the time capsule from the last reunion, which took place at Gma and Gpa's lakehouse in Ohio, after Cousin JM's wedding, 2 Junes ago. So much has changed since then: the newborn baby that had been born June 10 that year is now 2, and so cute!! He has the Skipper wrapped around his little finger. We've moved, Gma and Gpa have moved, Cousin RD is pregnant and due in September, and the little 2 year old is anticipating the arrival of a new baby sibling in November, just to name a few happenings.

So the shower that was more fun than the present rain was the baby shower for Cousin RD yesterday afternoon. After worshipping at M & D's (and Cousin KT's) church, we girls headed to Gma and Gpa's place. We played a game where we had to look at candy bars melted and squashed in cloth diapers and guess what candy bar was in each one. That was one that I'd never done before, and it was more than a little disconcerting...baby bottle bowling was fun, though I'm certainly not proficient, and of course the ever-popular Guess What Baby Food is in the Jar game was entertaining. The very best part about it, though (aside from our niece getting some really great baby stuff) was the gourmet cupcakes!! I think my favorite was the hummingbird, which was banana-nut cake base with with pineapple and cream-cheese frosting and other stuff that was really yummy. There was also a s'mores one.

RD's husband fortified us with some really yummy pesto pizza last night for dinner, and the Professor's sister's husband made his famous guacamole just in case starvation set in later.

In preparation for the campfire this evening (which is also a celebration of the June birthdays: Gilligan, 2 year-old's, and RD's husband's) Gma and KT had a project of having the kids make birthday cookies for the party. There were some very creative offerings, as well as lots of sticky fingers. I think my favorite was Cousin BWE's (I should clarify that when I say cousin, I mean that they are my children's cousins, our nieces and nephews). She created a watermelon design on a duck. Skipper's UmpaLoompah was interesting, as well.

I spent the morning baking a Red Velvet cake for the pregnant lady. Hopefully it will be sufficient--I was at a bit of a disadvantage because I needed to use a hand-mixer. Tomorrow we head to Legoland; then Wednesday we head out for our next leg of our journey, to Monterey!